Department of Justice Canada

Most Canadians believe that diversion of accused from the courts in appropriate cases should be the preferred response to at least some types of offences/situations. They also believe that increased use of diversion could make the criminal justice system (CJS) more efficient and effective and...

The majority of Canadians believe that judges should have at least some degree of discretion and flexibility when deciding a sentence. What we also found: The overwhelming majority of Canadians (95%) felt that the best approach for determining fair and appropriate sentences for offenders...

This research report recommends the adoption of universal family violence screening by family law practitioners. To support this recommendation, it begins by presenting a definition of family violence, then examines common family dynamics where violence is present and the impact of trauma in a...

This fact sheet is based on publicly available data from a number of Justice Canada, Canadian government (federal and provincial/territorial), and academic publications released from 2009 to 2018. This fact sheet also uses data from an internal research report prepared by Justice Canada in 2013....

This fact sheet is based on publicly available data from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) between 2006/2007 and 2016/2017. Data is also presented from the Department of Justice Canada’s Justice Effectiveness 2008 (JE) project that collected data to specifically analyze case...

This fact sheet is primarily based on self-reported data from the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS) on Victimization, on police-reported data from the 2018 Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, and on court data from the 2016/2017 Adult Criminal Court Survey.

This report is organized to reflect the rich information gathered from the Listening Project on Crime Victims’ Experiences of Restorative Justice. The structure of this report is as follows: • background on restorative justice and its relationship with crime victims, • an overview of the...

Most Canadians feel that sentencing guidelines are the best way to ensure a fair sentence and they believe that sentencing would be more consistent with such guidelines. Many Canadians also believe that Canada should consider having a sentencing commission, and that most important activity of...

This comprehensive review – the first of its kind since 1982 – was intended to guide the Government in its efforts to ensure that Canada’s criminal justice system is just, compassionate and fair; that it promotes a safe, peaceful and prosperous society; and that it accurately reflects the values...

The focus of this report is on outlining some of the key findings from the body of knowledge of neuroscience, and applying them to the issue of sexual assault and its impacts on victims. More specifically, we review and highlight some of the significant developments, which have emerged from the...

The Department of Justice Canada (JUS) began a review of the criminal justice system (CJS) in 2015 to support the mandate of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (Office of the Prime Minister, 2015). The performance of the system was a key focus. The State of the Criminal...

Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a common neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, face high rates of criminal justice system contact and are overrepresented in correctional and forensic settings. As a result, forensic mental health...

Justice Canada conducted an engagement exercise to obtain feedback from non-governmental stakeholders/partners on the top challenges and/or opportunities that the justice system could face over the next 5-10 years.

Surveys about legal problems and needs are undertaken in countries around the world. In 2021, the Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) was conducted to identify the kinds of serious legal problems people face, how they attempted to resolve them, and how these experiences have impacted their...

The Department of Justice Canada created the first performance monitoring framework (“the Framework”) for Canada’s criminal justice system in 2019. The Framework identified broad expected outcomes, measured by key indicators. The State of the Criminal Justice System Report presents quantitative...

This fact sheet is based on data from the 2021 Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) undertaken by Statistics Canada and commissioned by Justice Canada. The CLPS is a legal needs or legal problems survey; these surveys are done in countries around the world to measure the incidence of legal...

This fact sheet presents information on criminal court cases where the most serious offence in the case is a child-related sexual offence subject to a mandatory minimum penalty (MMP). Data were obtained through a request to the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS)...

This fact sheet presents information on criminal court cases where the most serious offence in the case is a firearm-related offence subject to a mandatory minimum penalty (MMP). Data were obtained through a request to the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS) and...

Canada’s bail system promotes public safety, maintains confidence in the administration of justice, and ensures respect for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is an important component of the criminal justice system.